Efficient route to well‐characterized homo, block, and statistical polymers containing terpyridine in the side chain

The incorporation of metal–ligand interactions into macromolecules imparts to them unique and potentially useful properties. We report the synthesis of homo, block, and statistical copolymers with controlled molecular weights, compositions, and relatively narrow polydispersities via atom transfer radical polymerization that contain activated esters for the subsequent incorporation of terpyridine. This approach is universal and allows facile access to macromolecules with rich chemical functions, illustrated here with metal ligands. Comonomers include methyl, n‐butyl, and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate as well as styrene. The addition of lanthanide ions to the final copolymers generates emissive materials with blue, green, red, or purple light, depending on the metal used.